A Ghost Of A Chance
by Kitsune Moonstar
Summary: Three months after Noin's death, Zechs finds himself getting married no matter what his wishes are. Someone cna save him from this fate, but will she get there in time?


Author's note: I do not own Gundam Wing or its characters. If you sue me, I won't be able to pay my student loans. 

* * *

A Ghost of a Chance

She had so many regrets. They all seemed to come to mind. But the one thing she regretted most was never finding the time to get married. She and Zechs had talked about it so many times, but there had always been something else that just had to be done. Hell, Zechs hadn't even gotten around to proposing yet.

It was too late now. Even if there weren't a half ton of debris on top of her legs, her ankle was at least sprained, probably broken. The building would explode in five minutes. Noin made one more attempt to free herself then passed out the pain from her ankle.

***

Zechs sat alone in his office staring at a silver picture frame that sat on his desk. It was one of his favorite pictures of Noin. The two of them sat on her motorcycle; their hair was windswept and both were laughing. Relena had taken it the day Noin had bought the bike. That had been a happier time.

Noin had been killed three days ago on a Preventer mission. Now he was at a loss. With Noin gone he was just a shell of a person. He had lost his heart. And the worst part was the fact that he had planned to propose to her tonight. Now all his plans were for naught. He sighed. His light was gone. Now he would have to stubble along alone in the dark.

***

Noin awoke as she was doused with cold water. She lay on a cement floor in a barren room. She hurt. Someone kicked her in the side.

"Awake are you? Good. A doctor's treated your ankle and splinted it, but that's all the medical attention you're going to get, so don't try to play sick to escape."

She tried to focus on the speaker, but pain made her vision blurry.

"Don't expect a rescue either. You've been declared dead; it was a very nice funeral, if I do say so myself. You're ours for the duration, so I'd cooperate if I were you."

"You're not me," she thought. "You have no clue who you're dealing with. And have no intention of remaining dead to everyone I love. You messed with the wrong lady mister."

***

It had been a week since Noin's death, and Zechs wasn't doing too well. He hadn't eaten or slept in days. He had just holed up in his office to brood. Several people had tried to get him to come out, but he wasn't budging. What was left for him?

The door was flung open. A woman strode over to him, grabbed him by the ear, and marched him out of the office. Zechs was so startled he let her. She wasn't someone he recognized. The woman was petite, and to tell the truth, one of the most beautiful he'd ever met. White blond hair cascaded down her back and pale green eyes dared him to protest.

"I don't care if you are a war hero and all that, I'm not going to let you abuse yourself like this. Not while I work here."

"Who are you?" Zechs was more than a little bewildered.

"Sian Whitebridge; I'm one of the staff nurses."

***

Noin curled in a ball trying to keep warm. She had been working on a plan for the last week or so. But it required her to do something hard: wait.

She wanted to be home. She was worried and a little scared. Zechs thought she was dead. If she had really died, Noin would have wanted him to move on and find someone else to love. But now she was scared he had.

"Wait for me Zechs," she whispered.

***

Zechs sighed; today was the month and a half anniversary of Noin's death. And he was taking Sian out for dinner. It wasn't what he wanted to do today, but he hadn't been given a choice.

Sian. She was beautiful, smart, funny, but she wasn't Noin. She was, however, almost everywhere. He found himself taking her out to dinner, going to parties, all kinds of things like that. Everyone just automatically assumed that they were a couple now. Well, everyone except his sister and his close friends, but he barely ever saw them anymore.

"I miss you Noin," he thought.

***

Noin was roughly pulled to her feet and dragged out of her cell. She didn't struggle; she been through this a half dozen times now. She was dumped in a chair in another room.

"You're wasting your time. I'm not going to talk,"

"Miss Noin," it was a new man this time. He struck Noin as a lawyer. He was rather handsome with white blond hair, but his emerald eyes were cold and hard. "I am not in the habit of wasting my time."

"Then you might as well send me back to my cell now."

"I don't see why you care being so uncooperative. Things could be much easier for you."

Noin just glared at him. He sighed, "You know I can make this much more unpleasant for you."

He placed a hand on her thigh. Noin's voice was icy, "I would remove your hand if you would like to keep it in one piece."

"I can get enough help that you wouldn't be able to fight back."

She just glared at him. He sighed again and called for the guards. As the took her back to her cell, a tv caught her eye. It was a local news story on the upcoming wedding of Sian Whitebridge to Milliardo Peacecraft. Noin froze.

Zechs was getting married. To hell with waiting and planning, she was getting out of here now. She would be damned if she let the love of her life get away without even trying to find out if he still loved her.

The guards never knew what hit them. Noin was free, and nothing was going to keep her from getting to Zechs.

***

Relena sighed as she sat down, "Zechs, oniichan, are you sure you want to do this? I mean Noin's been dead barely three months. Are you really ready to get married now?"

"I didn't want to get married in the first place Relena. It seems I don't have a choice though. I think I told both Sian and the priest that I couldn't go through with this, and the both brushed me off. I've tried to get out of this and I just can't."

"You're sure there's nothing we can do?"

"I'm sure; I have the feeling Sian's even set a twenty-four hour watch on me just in case I try to run out on her."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too."

***

Zechs closed his eyes trying to ease his heart's pain. He couldn't believe this was happening. Within a few minutes he would be formally bound to Sian.

"If any here have cause to object to this union, speak now or forever hold your peace."

"I object!"

Everyone in the church turned to look at the figure that stood in the great double doors. Noin knew she was a mess. She probably looked like she had been dragged face down through seven hells and back. But the joy in Zechs' eyes made her forget all about that.

There was a moment of silence the Zechs said, "I agree."

He strode down the aisle and stopped before her. Noin was all too happy to collapse into his arms; she was exhausted and her ankle had started to hurt again. Zechs just held her tightly whispering into her hair, "I'll never let you go again. Never."

***

Noin found herself enthroned on a couch with pillows all around and was being waited on hand and foot. After being whisked to the Yui residence, Sally and Relena had dealt with her injuries and helped her clean up. Her emergency duffle bag was still stuffed in one of Relena's closets, so she even had her own pajamas to wear.

About half the Preventer Corp had descended on the house to help out. Noin was beginning to feel overwhelmed. Zechs had been constantly at her side throughout most of it. He had been tossed out of the room when Sally was treating her injuries. Noin was glad for his presence. It was reassuring to know he was really there with her.

It wasn't too long before Sian arrived. Zechs sighed and squeezed her hand, "Don't worry love; I'll be back."

***

  
  


Zechs felt nervous and confident at once. This probably wasn't going to be pretty, but he had to do it. He wasn't going to lose Noin. Not again. He did care for Sian, but he knew he couldn't love her the way he should if they got married.

Sian stood in the dining room tapping her foot, "What the hell is going on Milliardo?"

He sighed, "I can't go through with the wedding Sian. I'm sorry."

"Why? Because some old flame of yours comes crawling into the church looking half dead? Am I just not good enough for your royal highness."

"Sian, you're beautiful, intelligent, and a wonderful person, but I just can't do this. I'm not sure I would be able to go through with this anyway."

"Damn it! You owe this to me."

"No, I owe this to her. I made a mistake; I shouldn't have agreed to marry you. My heart has always belonged to Noin, and it always will. I tried to tell you this earlier, but you just blew me off. I'm sorry."

Sian opened her mouth but was cut off by a shriek. Zechs whirled around.

"Noin."

***

Noin had been drifting off to sleep when he walked into the room. Her eyes widened, and she was instantly alert. What the hell was that lawyer doing here? Then he smiled at her, and something inside her snapped. Noin grabbed the first thing she could find and threw it at him with a shriek.

It happened to be a pillow and her aim was off. He looked unfazed. Zechs came tearing into the room. For some reason, his presence seemed to calm her.

"Noin love, what's wrong?"

"What the hell is he doing here?"

"He's Sean Whitebridge, Sian's brother."

Noin glared at the man, "You knew I was alive, and you didn't tell them. You let everyone I love think I was dead."

Sean shrugged, "Sian had her heart set on marrying Milliardo. Who am I to rain on her parade?"

There could have been bloodshed, but thankfully, Heero and Wufei escorted Sian and Sean from the room with a minimum of trouble. Zechs pulled Noin into his arms, "I'm so sorry love."

"Why?"

"I gave up on you."

"It's okay as long as you don't do it again."

"Never."

Noin closed her eyes. She was happy. She was home.

"Noin?"

"Hm?"There was a pause, "Will you marry me?"

She smiled, "Of course. Why did you think I stopped the wedding?"

He laughed, "I'm never going to let you go again. Never."

Noin opened her eyes, "Just shut up and kiss me." 

Owari (the end)


End file.
